Fuso FI 1217R

On the inside, the cabin of the Fuso FI 1217R feels wider than that of the Canter series of light duty trucks, with its own slightly different looking dashboard layout, though not drastically different. While it’s a feature-rich place to be in for a truck, the fact that it doesn’t get more additional features over the smaller light duty Canter trucks is a missed opportunity.

Finished in a sober looking grey theme, the cabin gets a simple looking driver’s cockpit comprised of tilt and telescopic adjustable four spoke steering wheel and a very comprehensive instrument console with a small rectangular screen in the middle of it for MID.

The center console protrudes slightly outwards and in a vertical manner, and packs in all creature comfort essentials in the form of a 1-DIN audio system, manual controls for the AC and a small tucked in storage bin. There are additional storage spaces on the co-passenger side of the dashboard, with it getting a seating capacity for two people.

Compared to the bigger FJ 1823R medium duty truck below which it is positioned, the Fuso FI 1217R lacks a bit of the glitziness and up-to-date appeal. However, when you compared to the similarly priced and spec medium duty trucks from the competitors, the Fuso FI 1217R still manages to look much more upmarket with an eye pleasing and proportionate design.

The Fuso FI 1217R looks large and wide when viewed head on, with the long front windscreen, which is slightly curved and comes with thin rubber surrounds. The lower portion of this front windscreen gets a trapezoidal housing with lower tapered edges, which also act as a panel for the mounts of windshield wipers and a small grab handle in the middle.

Apart from the large dual rear view mirrors placed on either corner of the A-pillars adjacent to the front windshield, there is an additional mirror mounted on the left upper corner of the roof, which acts as a reverse assistant for the driver. The lower half of the front profile of the Fuso FI 1217R looks more like an evolution of that of the light duty trucks from Fuso, with a slightly revised and sleeker looking front grille, which gets a T-shaped blackened design ornament.

The headlamps here are shaped just like those on the Canter light duty trucks, with the trapezoidal housing consisting of rectangular main headlamps and curved turn indicators above them, albeit the entire housings are smaller in size here. The front bumper of the Fuso FI 1217R too looks quite huge and wide in size and comes adorned with round fog lamps in small rounded trapezoidal grey garnished panels on the corners of the front bumper. On the side, the Fuso FI 1217R gets grey finished body cladding over the semi-trapezoidal wheel arches as well as inclined window line for the side windows.

The Fuso FI 1217R has a good load carrying capacity, the credits to which goes to the sturdy suspension setup, which is a combination of semi-elliptical multi-leaf springs at both the ends. The fully air S-Cam dual circuit main brakes, along with pneumatically operated spring actuator with hand brake valve acting on the rear axle, gives a good stopping and holding power to the Fuso FI 1217R.

The Fuso FI 1217R sources its power from a big and powerful 3.9-litre inline four diesel engine, which is paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox and makes maximum power and torque figures of 170 PS and 520 Nm respectively.

The bare basic essential safety features present in the Fuso FI 1217R are side impact beams, three-point seat belts and collapsible steering wheel.

While the upper positioning of the Fuso FI 1217R over the light duty trucks might not seem justifiable with not so significant styling and equipment upgrades, the Fuso FI 1217R impresses where it matters the most – more powerful and tractable engine as well as longer chassis, leading to better load carrying capacity in a whole.